Villanova University issues dire campus-wide warning of armed assailant

Villanova University dispatched an urgent notification Thursday, cautioning students and faculty of an active gunman within campus grounds, according to a “NOVA Alert” reviewed by CBS News Philadelphia. The communiqué urged the community to swiftly retreat into fortified spaces, fastening doors and reinforcing them against intrusion.

The institution’s website bore a stark message: avoid Scarpa Hall, home of the law school, at all costs.

Radnor Police Department, working in tandem with Villanova’s own security force, swiftly mobilized in response to the unfolding peril. Additional reinforcement arrived from Havertown police, Police Chief John Viola confirmed to CBS News Philadelphia.

Accounts provided to CBS suggest a scene of panic, with individuals sprinting for shelter, darting into academic buildings, and concealing themselves beneath desks and tables.

Clips circulating on social platforms capture the chaos—people dashing from what appeared to be a campus gathering. The footage, filmed near a residence hall, reveals upturned white chairs scattered across the pavement as dozens scrambled frantically toward safer ground.

Authorities have not yet disclosed whether casualties have been sustained.

Radnor police have instructed both students and residents in surrounding neighborhoods to remain secured indoors until further notice.

Ironically, the incident coincided with “opening day” at Villanova, a day intended for welcome festivities—a family resource fair, orientation sessions, celebratory Mass, and a communal picnic—as detailed on the university’s official schedule.

CBS News Philadelphia confirmed that reporting crews are en route to the campus, promising updates as additional facts emerge.